Winston Peters to meet French minister in New Caledonia this week

Winston Peters in New Caledonia - 3-5 December 2024 - with French High Commissioner Louis le Franc and French Ambassador for the Pacific Véronique Roger-Lacan Photo: Haut-Commissariat de la République

New Zealand's deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters will travel to New Caledonia on 1 and 2 May 2025, where he will hold talks with visiting French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls.

Valls arrived in the French Pacific territory on Tuesday to pursue crucial discussions with all local political stakeholders.

Amid strong opposition and polarisation between pro-independence parties and those who want New Caledonia to remain part of France, the talks aim to reach an agreement that would define New Caledonia's political and institutional future.

Valls said recently he would stay in New Caledonia "as long as necessary" in order to reach the crucial agreement, one year after deadly riots broke out in May 2024.

In a release on Wednesday, Peters said his visit "comes at an important moment in New Caledonia's history and reinforces New Zealand's commitment to being a constructive partner in the region for both New Caledonia and France."

During his visit, the Foreign Affairs Minister also intends to meet New Caledonia government President Alcide Ponga.

Peters, who evokes "New Zealand's warm and long-standing relationship with France", said "New Zealand wants to listen, learn and support New Caledonia's pathway forward as a neighbour and fellow member of the Pacific Islands Forum."

During his two-day visit, he also plans to visit the Nouméa-based Pacific Community (SPC), a regional inter-governmental agency founded in 1947 and its Director-General Dr Stuart Minchin.

A visit by Peters in May 2024 had to be postponed as the French territory was the scene of violent civil unrest and destructive riots that caused 14 dead and an estimated €2.2 billion in damages.

The visit was rescheduled to December 2024.

In the meantime, a delegation of Pacific Islands Forum leaders also visited as part of a fact-finding mission in October 2024.

Talks behind closed doors

Valls arrived in New Caledonia late on Tuesday and has resumed talks with delegations from all sides of the political spectrum.

But the talks, more than ever, are taking place behind closed doors, at the French High Commission in the capital Nouméa.

During the first day of his stay in the French Pacific territory, Valls is expected to present to all parties (both for and against independence) a new version of a French draft document that is supposed to be the basis for a "comprehensive agreement" on New Caledonia's political future.

The new draft is supposed to be subjected to further discussions and amendments from all stakeholders.

On both sides of the table, local parties are said to be more vigilant than ever.

They have all stated earlier that bearing in mind their respective demands, they were "not ready to sign at all costs".

Valls told French reporters at the weekend he hoped a revised version on a draft document - resulting from his previous visits in the French Pacific territory and new proposals from the French government - could pave the way for a "difficult path" to possibly reconcile radically opposing views expressed so far from the pro-independence parties in New Caledonia and those who want New Caledonia to remain part of France.

The target remains an agreement that would accommodate both "the right and aspiration to self-determination" and "the link with France".

But he stressed an agreement was the only possible way: "If there is no agreement, then economic and political uncertainty can lead to a new disaster, to confrontation and to civil war", he told reporters on Sunday in Paris.

"Everyone must take a step towards each other. An agreement is indispensable."

Valls said this week he hoped everyone would "enter a real negotiations phase".

The pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front) was present on Wednesday as talks resumed, but it says it will only decide on Thursday whether it switches from "discussions" to "negotiations" proper.

Valls described the current tense situation similar to " walking on a tightrope above embers".

The French minister, who has already travelled to Nouméa twice this year - February and March - is pleading for "innovative" solutions and "a new way of looking at the future".

Valls said earlier in April the main pillars of future negotiations are articulated around the carefully-worded themes of "democracy and the rule of law", a "decolonisation process", the right to self-determination, a future "fundamental law" that would seal New Caledonia's future status, the powers of New Caledonia's three provinces, and a future New Caledonia citizenship with the associated definition of who meets the requirements to vote at local elections. All of these potential changes, if and when endorsed locally, would also include relevant amendments to the French Constitution.